Department for Transport

High Speed 2 Railway Line

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the number of trains, per hour and per direction, planned for the section of HS2 from London to Birmingham Interchange when Phases (1) 1, (2) 1and 2A, (3) 1, 2Aand 2B are operational.

baroness sugg: The HS2 Development Agreement requires that the HS2 infrastructure to be capable of operating 10 trains per hour in each direction in phase 1, 10 trains per hours in each direction at phase 2a and 18 trains per hours in each direction at phase 2b.

Seaborne Freight

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government who will set charges for trucks to use Seaborne Freight on the Ramsgate to Ostend service; and whether Seaborne Freight ferries will carry both unaccompanied freight as well as driver accompanied freight.

baroness sugg: Seaborne Freight will set charges for its customers while the Government will be responsible for allocating the capacity procured for priority users. The company's intention is to carry driver-accompanied freight but this is a commercial matter for the parties concerned.

Roads: Safety

lord whitty: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to announce a new road safety action plan as recommended by the recent Road Safety Management Capacity Review commissioned by the Department for Transport.

baroness sugg: The Department for Transport intends to publish a refreshed road safety statement and the two-year road safety action plan later this year.

Channel Ferries: Ostend

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Port of Ostend about any frontier control requirements for operating post-Brexit ferry services from that port; and what commitment, if any, they have made to funding any such requirements.

baroness sugg: Ostend does not have juxtaposed border controls, so there are no UK frontier controls in operation there. However, Border Force has engaged in a series of discussions with the Port of Ostend and with Belgian authorities about facilities required for the reinstatement of a ferry service.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the £420 million allocated for local highways maintenance in the 2018 Budget must be spent by local authorities by 31 March; whether there are any circumstances in which it can be rolled over into the following year; and how any unspent funding will be reallocated.

baroness sugg: It is the Government’s intention for the additional £420 million funding for 2018/19 for local highways maintenance capital funding as announced in the Budget 2018 to be utilised by end of this financial year. This funding is to support the repair of potholes, to keep local bridges and structures open and safe, and to aid other minor highway works that may be needed. It is for each highway authority to determine how this funding is used based on their own local assessments and requirements.

Railways: Concessions

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the role of the Department for Transport in the conception of the proposed railcard for 16 and 17 year olds; and what was the role of Train Operating Companies in its development.

baroness sugg: The Government initiated and led discussions with industry regarding the possible options for providing discounted travel to young people. We will continue to work with train operating companies and the RDG to develop and implement the 16-17 railcard.

Public Transport: Young People

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce the cost to young people of travel to school or college by (1) train, (2) bus, and (3) other forms of public transport.

baroness sugg: The government has recently announced a new 16-17 railcard, which will offer savings of 50% on all rail services run by franchised train operating companies managed by the Department for Transport. This will help make travel more affordable for those making their way to school, college and work. Concessionary travel legislation enables local authorities to offer local travel concessions such as free or discounted travel to young people. In 2016/17, 13 of the 89 Travel Concessionary Authorities (TCAs) in England, outside of London, offered some form of youth concession, with bus operators in 76 of the 89 TCA areas also offering a youth concession on a commercial basis. In total, youth concessions were offered in 77 of the 89 TCA areas outside of London. In addition, there is a statutory scheme for certain eligible children to receive free school transport.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Democratic Republic of Congo: Elections

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the legitimacy of the presidential election results in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We note the provisional results announced by the electoral commission (CENI) and the decision made by the constitutional court to uphold this result. As the Foreign Secretary said on 10 January, we are very concerned about disparities in the presidential and parliamentary election results. At the UN Security Council on 11 January, we called on the National Episcopal Conference of the Congo (CENCO) and CENI to give further detail of their results data and analysis.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Elections

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the implications of the presidential election results in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for foreign policy and aid policies.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We note the provisional results announced by the electoral commission (CENI) and the decision made by the constitutional court to uphold this result. We remain concerned about the disparities with the polling conducted by the National Episcopal Conference of the Congo (CENCO).At the UN Security Council on 11 January, we called on CENCO and CENI to give further detail of their results data and analysis. We join the President of the AU Commission's call for all parties to preserve peace and urge restraint, and for all sides to respect the electoral process. It is crucial that the democratic will of the Congolese people is respected. No bilateral UK aid goes directly to the DRC Government.The long-term policy implications of the DRC elections will be reviewed once the electoral process has completed. This is a critical moment for DRC and the wider region and we are monitoring the situation closely.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Elections

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of concerns raised by bishops in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in response to the publication of provisional results for the recent presidential election.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: A statement by the Committee of the National Episcopal Conference of the Congo (CENCO) on 10 January confirmed that CENCO deployed 40,000 observers for the 30 December elections, in all voting centres across the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). They reported that the provisional results announced by the electoral commission (CENI) were not in line with the data collected by their observation mission.As the Foreign Secretary said on 10 January, we are very concerned about disparities in the presidential and parliamentary election results. At the UN Security Council on 11 January, we called on CENCO and CENI to give further detail of their results data and analysis. It is crucial that the democratic will of the Congolese people is respected. Peaceful, fair and credible democratic processes are vital to creating a prosperous DRC.

Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences

baroness anelay of st johns: To ask Her Majesty's Government which Government department leads on the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) is a Foreign and Commonwealth Office lead. The Foreign Secretary continues to represent the PSVI at the Cabinet, while I, as the Prime Minister's Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, lead work across government, internationally with key partners including the UN, Commonwealth and civil society organisations.

Palestinians: Travel Restrictions

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding the closure of a checkpoint south of Jenin, following reports that the closure prevented students from attending school exams.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: While we have not raised this particular case, we remain deeply concerned about restrictions on freedom of movement within the West Bank. Through our Embassy in Tel Aviv we have lobbied the Israeli authorities on the issue of movement and access.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to to the government of Israel regarding the continued imprisonment of 19 Palestinian journalists.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK maintains that freedom of the media is an important part of respecting human rights. The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa met Leaders of the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate in London on 4 July 2018 where they discussed the situation facing Palestinian journalists and the constraints on their work.

Israel: Gaza

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Israel about the location of the buffer zone in Gaza; and whether there are plans to make the location of such a zone clearer.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have not had discussions on this issue with the Government of Israel as there is no official Israeli policy on the matter.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Israel regarding the protection of Palestinian prisoners from any deterioration in prison conditions.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have not made recent representations to the Government of Israel on this issue but note Israel’s commitment that prisoners and detainees are treated humanely and in accordance with international law.

Syria: Reconstruction

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the statement made by the UK Permanent Representative to the UN on 20 December 2018 about rehabilitation in Syria, what assessment they have made of the risk of the re-emergence of ISIS if reconstruction assistance in Syria is withheld.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We assess that the best means to prevent a re-emergence of Daesh in Syria will be through an inclusive, negotiated political settlement to end the conflict and address the conditions that originally allowed Daesh to emerge. We will not consider providing reconstruction assistance without such a settlement. We remain committed to the Global Coalition's campaign to ensure Daesh's enduring defeat.

Sudan: Politics and Government

lord luce: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they, in partnership with the governments of Norway and the United States, are in dialogue with the African Union about political and economic conditions in the Sudan with a view to attempting to restore stability in that country.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK continues to promote comprehensive peace negotiations through our role in the Troika. Alongside the US and Norway we engage regularly with the African Union, both at official level and with members of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP), as part of our collective effort to address the root causes of instability in Sudan. On 8 January we, with Troika partners and Canada, released a statement expressing deep concern at the Government's violent response to recent protests in Sudan, stressing the need to implement reforms.

Bahrain: Political Prisoners

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what urgent representations theyintend to make to the government of Bahrain to ensure that Bahraini political prisoners Ali Haji and Naji Fateelhave immediate access to medical care.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and our Embassy in Bahrain are aware of the cases of Ali Hajji and Naji Fateel. We encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to raise them with the appropriate Bahraini human rights oversight body and we encourage these oversight bodies to carry out swift and thorough investigations into any such claims.

St Petersburg International Economic Forum

lord stevenson of balmacara: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they plan to issue to (1) businesses, and (2) political leaders, about attending the St Petersburg International Economic Forum in June.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The attendance and participation of UK companies at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) is entirely a matter for them. We continue to offer advice to UK businesses operating in Russia and support legitimate sanctions-compliant trade and investment. In line with government guidance, there will be no ministerial representation.

West Bank: Agriculture

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, if any, with the government of Israel about (1) the number of Palestinian farmers in the West Bank who are allowed to farm between the separation barrier and the Green Line, and (2) theprotection of those farmers.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: While we have not raised this specific issue with the Israeli authorities, we have repeatedly raised our concerns about freedom of movement within the West Bank. In that context, the British Consulate General in Jerusalem actively supports a range of interventions to help Palestinians access their land. For example, its annual “olive harvest campaign” which helps landowners secure permits to access their land as well as providing a protective presence to farmers during harvest time. ​

UN Mission in Darfur

baroness uddin: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the stability threshold requirements and other conditions imposed by the UN resolution (2429/2018) which led to the reduction in UN Mission in Darfur forces were satisfactorily met by the government of Sudan.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​Outside of Jebel Marra the security situation in Darfur has evolved since 2016 with reductions in overall levels of conflict. This change is reflected in the decision of the United Nations Security Council in June 2017 to reconfigure the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID). The security situation remains relatively stable, but fragile. Our priority is to ensure that changes to UNAMID's operations match the realities on the ground, with appropriate review points, and ensure that a smaller more flexible UNAMID is able to fulfil its mandate. We are calling on the Government of Sudan to make progress on key priorities identified in the United Nations Security Council Presidential Statement S/PRST/2018/19. We have also urged fellow Security Council members to monitor closely the impact of UNAMID's reconfiguration, and consider whether the situation on the ground remains conducive to further changes.

Central Africa: Peace Negotiations

baroness uddin: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which the Khartoum Peace Agreement has provided a model for negotiating peace in other neighbouring countries in Central Africa, such as the conflict in the Central African Republic.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Khartoum Declaration of Agreement signed in June 2018 was an important step that led to the 12 September peace agreement on South Sudan. The UK, along with our Troika partners (the USA and Norway), welcomed this step and commended the role of the region and individual leaders in bringing parties of the conflict together to help secure an end to conflict. Whilst the most effective model for negotiating peace agreements will inevitably vary depending on the circumstances, in this case among many factors the region's efforts were important to progress: lessons should be considered and applied wherever possible elsewhere. It is also essential to recognise that any agreement is part of a process and a platform on which longer-term stability can be built.

East Africa: Human Trafficking

baroness uddin: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of ending human trafficking in Sudan's neighbouring countries; and what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the initiative established by Sudan's Higher Committee to Combat Human Trafficking.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have made no formal assessment, however tackling the root causes of irregular migration, combatting organised immigration crime and addressing the devastating effects of trafficking, in both the human cost for victims and the economic implications, are key UK priorities in Sudan and the region. Sudan is a source, transit, and destination country for migrants, many of whom are vulnerable to human trafficking. The UK continues to work with the Government of Sudan's Higher Committee to Combat Human Trafficking, which we understand, will play the role of national coordination mechanism; who along with civil society representatives, continue to be important partners for the UK in our work to tackle human trafficking in the region.

Sudan: Economic Situation

baroness uddin: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the economic situation in Sudan since the loss of revenue following the establishment of South Sudan.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The process that led to the establishment of South Sudan in July 2011 included an agreement on the division of resources and assets with Sudan. This included an agreed 75% reduction of the Government of Sudan's pre-2011 oil revenues, which at that time accounted for the majority of Sudan's foreign exchange earnings. The current economic situation in Sudan is fragile with frequent reports of fuel and food shortages, currency deflation and price inflation creating significant pressures on the people of Sudan. This has been exacerbated by a shortage of foreign exchange. We continue to encourage Sudan to undertake macroeconomic reforms which are essential to making progress towards debt relief and to economic stability for the benefit of the Sudanese people.

Sudan: Foreign Relations

baroness uddin: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to continue to economically and politically support Sudan.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK provides no direct financial support to the Government of Sudan. Instead, the UK provides humanitarian assistance and support to a range of programmes focused on political and economic reform, Sudan's peace process and UK development objectives. Our bilateral political engagement with Sudan takes place principally through the British Embassy in Khartoum and through biannual Strategic Dialogues between senior officials. We have raised, both publicly and directly with the Government of Sudan, our deep concern at the government's violent response to recent protests in Sudan. As we made clear with Troika partners (the USA and Norway) and Canada in our statement of 8 January, the Government of Sudan's actions and decisions over the coming weeks will have an impact on our approach to future. We continue to urge the Government of Sudan to undertake much needed economic and political reforms to support prosperity and the rights of the people of Sudan and continue to stand ready to assist these efforts.

Sudan: Politics and Government

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 15 January (HL Deb, cols 130–2), what assessment they have made of (1) continuing attacks on unarmed civilians in Sudan, (2) the regime’s recent use of live ammunition and tear gas fired at patients and medical staff in a hospital, (3) the proportionality of the regime’s response to protests, and (4) the role of the Sudanese military in the response to the protests.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK remains deeply concerned by the level of violence and tactics used by the Government of Sudan in response to peaceful protests, in particular reports of security forces involvement and by the use of lethal force, tear gas and violence within hospitals. Reports indicate that the Police and National Intelligence Security Service have been leading the Sudan Government response; we do not yet know the extent or role of the Sudanese Armed Forces but are monitoring closely. Along with our Troika partners (the USA and Norway) we have called for restraint by the Government of Sudan and continue to urge them at the highest levels to respect the Sudanese people's right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

Sudan: Politics and Government

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 15 January (HL Deb, cols 130–2), what assessment they have made of reports that Russian mercenaries were filmed participating in protests in Sudan supporting the Khartoum regime.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of the reports of alleged Russian mercenaries, including employees of the Wagner group, who were filmed around the protests in Khartoum. We are unable to verify these reports independently and have noted comments by the Government of Sudan and a statement by the Russian embassy in Khartoum denying these reports. We continue to monitor developments on the ground and to stress to the Government of Sudan our continuing concern about the violence used in response to peaceful protests.

Sudan: Politics and Government

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 15 January (HL Deb, cols 130–2), when they last discussed with the International Criminal Court the outstanding charges of genocide and crimes against humanity brought against the President of Sudan, Omar Al Bashir; and what assessment they have made of the constitutional changes which he is seeking to end presidential term limits.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: At the 14 December 2018 International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor's briefing on Sudan to the United Nations Security Council, the UK encouraged all States Parties to honour UN Security Council Resolution 1593 of 2005 related to the situation in Darfur and to cooperate fully with the ICC in regard to President Bashir's indictment. The British Government notes the announcement that a constitutional change on Presidential term limits is being sought by the Government of Sudan which if agreed will allow a third term for President Bashir. Through our bilateral engagement and with our Troika partners the UK urges the Government of Sudan to implement swiftly the recommendations of the National Dialogue process and undertake political reforms that strengthen Sudan's democracy ensuring that the elections are free, fair, and inclusive.

Sudan: Politics and Government

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 15 January (HL Deb, cols 130–2), what security co-operation currently exists between the UK and the government of Sudan.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​There are no current joint security programmes between the UK and Government of Sudan. The extent of UK funded defence engagement with the Government of Sudan is limited to the provision of a small-scale education programme to the regular Sudanese armed forces that focuses on International Humanitarian Law, the Law of Armed Conflict and on Governance and Security Sector Reform. This is achieved through the teaching of English language and graduate-level lectures, using professionally qualified teachers, academics and lawyers. We also engage in bilateral discussions, including through the UK-Sudan Strategic Dialogue, on addressing shared threats including regional conflicts, countering terrorism and extremism, modern slavery and migration.

Sudan: Politics and Government

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 15 January (HL Deb, cols 130–2), what assessment they have made of the consequences of violence in Sudan for bilateral relations between the UK and Sudan; and whether the next proposed meeting of the UK–Sudan Strategic Dialogue will still take place.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We continue to monitor closely the Government of Sudan's response to the recent protests and to express our concern at the current situation. The UK-Sudan Strategic Dialogue due to take place in Spring 2019 is an opportunity to engage on priority issues such as human rights, economic reform and regional issues, and to raise matters of concern at senior levels with the Government of Sudan. As we made clear with our Troika partners (the USA and Norway) and Canada in our statement of 8 January the Government of Sudan's actions and decisions over the coming weeks will have an impact on the approach to engagement of our Governments and we are monitoring the situation closely.

Sudan: Politics and Government

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the political situation in Sudan.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The political situation in Sudan is currently dominated by protests that commenced on 19 December, initially driven by concerns over the economic situation. The UK has registered deep concern at the limitations on the Sudanese people's right to freedom of expression and at the violence used by the Government of Sudan in response to peaceful protests. We continue to urge the Government of Sudan to undertake much needed economic and political reforms for the benefit of the people of Sudan.

Russia: Africa

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that the government of Russia plans to establish a strategic military base in Zimbabwe; and what estimate they have made of which African countries (1) have Russian military bases, and (2) have made agreements with the government of Russia to establish such bases, on their soil.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK believes it is right that sovereign states have the right to decide their own security policy. We monitor Russia’s developing international defence relationships, including in Africa.​

Maghreb: Politics and Government

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the political situation in the North African Maghreb, and (2) the impact of further instability in that region on UK interests, in particular the impact on migration, counter-terrorism, energy security, and security in the Mediterranean.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Since 2011 progress has been made in furthering the democratic transition across the North African Maghreb. Nevertheless we recognise the importance of underpinning stability by enhancing political and economic inclusion of all citizens. We are alive to the regional threat of terrorism and regularly engage with our Maghreb partners, both at ministerial and official level, to support efforts to address security challenges, ensure political and economic stability, and manage migration. We are working with our regional partners to support ongoing reform processes, and to boost trade and investment, including through programming valued at more than £20 million this financial year. These programmes have provided support in areas such as governance, security, human rights, economic reform and border security.Further information on our North Africa programmes is available on the gov.uk website.

Yemen: Armed Conflict

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the ceasefire brokered by the UN on 18 December 2018 in and around Hudaydah in Yemen continues to be adhered to by all sides.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UN-brokered ceasefire in and around Hodeidah is broadly holding, but we are conscious that confidence between the parties is low. The ceasefire is an important step towards peace but is by no means guaranteed. It is vital that all parties act in good faith and take urgent steps to implement agreements made in Stockholm, particularly re-deployment. We regularly discuss with our partners at the UN how best we can support the implementation of these agreements to ensure that the Yemen peace agreements endure.

Sudan: Politics and Government

the earl of sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are reconsidering their role in inter-governmental programmes such as the Khartoum Process which supports border controls to reduce migration, following the recent violence and human rights abuses committed by the government of Sudan.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Tackling the root causes of irregular migration, combatting organised immigration crime and addressing the devastating effects of trafficking is a key UK priority and the Khartoum Process is one of many ways the UK engages with East African partners to address these shared threats. We have raised, both publicly and directly with the Government of Sudan, our deep concern at the government's violent response to recent protests in Sudan. As we made clear with Troika partners (the USA and Norway) and Canada in our statement of 8 January, the Government of Sudan's actions and decisions over the coming weeks will have an impact on our approach to future engagement.

Hakeem AlAraibi

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement made by the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs on 9 December 2018 that it would be a breach of international human rights law for the Thai authorities to extradite Hakeem Ali Alaraibi to Bahrain.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware that Hakeem Al-Araibi is currently in detention in Thailand. This is a matter for the Governments of Thailand, Bahrain and Australia.

Northern Ireland Office

Teachers: Northern Ireland

lord rogan: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland last met with representatives of local teachers' unions in Northern Ireland; and whether they plan to hold further such meetings.

lord duncan of springbank: The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and her advisers meet representatives from trade unions on a regular basis and will continue to do so.

Department of Health and Social Care

Public Health: Finance

baroness jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much was allocated to eachlocal authority in England to be spent on public health in each year from 2010 to 2018 inclusively.

baroness manzoor: Information on public health grant allocations to local authorities from 2013, when public health funding was devolved to local authorities, to 2019/20 is attached, due to the size of the data.



Public health allocations by local authority
(Excel SpreadSheet, 29.79 KB)

Eating Disorders: Males

lord lingfield: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase the provision of eating disorder services for males in England.

baroness manzoor: NHS England’s Long Term Plan, published on 7 January, confirms that mental health will receive a growing share of the National Health Service budget, worth at least a further £2.3 billion a year in real terms by 2023/24.More details will be refined in consultation with stakeholders prior to publication of the detailed implementation plan noted in the Long Term Plan.NHS England has recently completed a national review of adult eating disorder services. Data collected is being reviewed with stakeholders to inform NHS England’s understanding what is needed in these services. NHS England commissions inpatient services for both males and females and community services are expected to treat all in need of treatment for an eating disorder regardless of their gender.

Department for International Development

UN High Commissioner for Refugees

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has aconsistent policy on resettling asylum seekers who claim that atheism or religious beliefs will lead to their persecution if returned to their countries of origin; if they have found that it is not consistent, what steps they are taking to ensure it is; how many such claimants have submitted applications to the UNHCR in Thailand; and how long, on average, it takes for such applications to be processed.

lord bates: UNHCR is mandated to protect all refugees and other displaced persons, including those who fear persecution on the basis of religion. UNHCR’s procedures and criteria for determining refugee status include religious persecution, in line with the Refugee Convention. Where religious belief causes or heightens the risk a refugee faces, UNHCR will take this into consideration when assessing specific vulnerabilities, and determining the appropriate protection interventions (including but not limited to resettlement). HMG does not hold information on the number of asylum claims submitted to UNHCR in Thailand, or elsewhere; this information is held by UNHCR. Individual data is considered private and confidential and not normally shared with third parties (and never without the specific consent of the individual). Furthermore, UNHCR does not routinely identify or record beneficiaries by their religion where this has no bearing on their case. The reason for this is because there is a risk that collecting information about the ethnicity or religion of people receiving aid could be obtained by others, including extremist groups, and used to persecute them.

Syria: Reconstruction

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with governments in the Gulf about the provision of reconstruction assistance to Syria; and what assessment they have made of withholding such assistance.

lord bates: The UK has not had discussions with governments in the Gulf about the provision of reconstruction funding to Syria. We remain clear that we will not consider providing such assistance without a credible, substantive and genuine political process firmly underway. The UK calls upon all parties to engage in a political process that helps create a calm, safe and neutral environment, which will be vital if free and fair elections are to take place. The UK is focussed on delivering life-saving humanitarian aid to those affected by the ongoing conflict. We engage with a broad range of international partners to encourage sustained international support for the humanitarian effort in Syria (including governments in the Gulf).

Gaza: Young People

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the World Bank’s findings in October 2018 that there is 70 per cent youth unemployment in Gaza; and what discussions they have had with the government of Israel about what action can be taken to support young people who live there into employment.

lord bates: The UK remains gravely concerned about the economic and humanitarian situation in Gaza. 54 per cent of the total population is estimated to be unemployed, including over 70 per cent of young people. Until the blockade of Gaza is eased and its economy allowed to grow unemployment will continue to rise. HMG officials regularly propose measures to improve the situation in Gaza with Government of Israel officials. These include the adoption of a more transparent process for allowing goods into Gaza and permitting greater exports from the strip. The UK is supporting direct measures to support job creation in Gaza. We will more than double the amount of UK aid spent on economic development in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) to around £38 million over the next five years (2018-2023). This will include support to addressing the water and electricity crisis in Gaza and seek to address movement and access restrictions. The Chevening Scholarship Programme, funded by the UK government, brings talented young people from Gaza to study in the UK, helping to provide educative opportunities and develop employment skills.

Syria: Reconstruction

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in assisting the rebuilding of Raqqa; and what role they are playing in those rebuilding efforts, particularly in regard to de-mining and counter-improvised explosive device efforts.

lord bates: In Al-Raqqa, DFID has stepped up its role in meeting the needs of those affected by Daesh occupation since its liberation in 2017. This assistance includes support to demining activity, assisting survivors of Gender-Based Violence and providing emergency supplies such as food and cash. Further activity by our partners has provided child immunisation in areas neglected during Daesh occupation, nutritional supplements for children and pregnant women, and supporting primary health centres, trauma care and mental health work.

Sudan: Overseas Aid

the earl of sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the UK’s current development and humanitarian programmes in Sudan; and what effect the recent unrest in Khartoum and elsewhere in the country has had on those programmes.

lord bates: The UK’s main development and humanitarian programmes, operated at Post are listed below.   All programmes, including humanitarian activities have been affected by Sudan’s current economic crisis. This includes rising procurement and operational costs and delays to activities due to fuel shortages.   The current demonstrations and Government of Sudan response to the demonstrations has led to the postponement of certain activities which involve convening large groups; and the postponement of meetings and monitoring visits that involve travel to areas where we or our partners assess increased risks to staff safety, in line with Foreign Office travel advice. There have been some delays in administrative procedures related to humanitarian programmes due to Government of Sudan officials being re-deployed to other areas. DFID and Embassy officials at Post continue to consider whether to maintain, adjust or suspend activities on a case to case basis.   Officials in Khartoum are in contact with delivery partners on the ground to assess evolving risks should the situation become protracted. These include the risk of redeploying staff of partners based in affected remote areas to Khartoum to mitigate safety risks and the ongoing risks to Sudanese staff that may be affected by the increased risk of violence.   RefProgrammeSector1Responding to Protracted Crisis in Sudan: Humanitarian Reform, Assistance & Resilience Programme (300196)Humanitarian and Conflict2Rural Water for Sudan (300222)Governance and Poverty Reduction3Urban Water for Sudan (300225)Governance and Poverty Reduction4Sudan Stability and Growth Programme (SSGP) (300365)Governance and Poverty Reduction5Sudan free of Female Genital Cutting. (203407)Governance and Poverty Reduction6Adapt Environmental and Climate Resilience in Sudan (205115)Governance and Poverty Reduction   7Conflict resilience and stabilisation programmepeacebuilding8CSSF regional migration programmemigration

Department for Education

Disabled Students' Allowances

lord addington: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to require assessors of Disabled Students' Allowance to hold an Assessment Practising Certificate.

viscount younger of leckie: Study needs assessors of Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) determine the specific support a student requires. They are currently not required to hold an Assessment Practising Certificate. We recently announced the decision to allow students with Specific Learning Difficulties, such as dyslexia, who are applying for DSA to use evidence of their diagnosis from before 16 years of age. Currently, for the purposes of DSA, the person carrying out this diagnostic assessment must hold an Assessment Practising Certificate, but we are considering whether to allow alternative accreditation routes.

English Language: Education

lord hodgson of astley abbotts: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of different methods of teaching English and their effectiveness.

lord agnew of oulton: The department does not make assessments of the methods employed by schools to teach English. Schools are free to decide on the most appropriate teaching methods and practices, depending on their pupils’ needs. We strongly encourage them to use teaching methods based on sound evidence. For example, the Education Endowment Foundation publishes robust evidence on effective pedagogic practice, for example its Teaching and Learning Toolkit, which is used by around 6 out of 10 teachers in senior leadership positions when deciding which approaches to adopt to improve teaching.When it comes to the teaching of reading, the national curriculum requires the systematic teaching of phonics. There is a significant body of evidence that demonstrates that systematic phonics is a highly effective method for teaching early reading. The department has invested £26 million in a national network of English hubs to support local schools in developing their teaching practice, with a focus on systematic phonics. We are also funding 6 Phonics Partnerships and a series of Phonics Roadshows, to spread good practice and improve phonics teaching.

Ministry of Justice

Offenders: Legal Aid Scheme

baroness mone: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether people who are considered to be fugitives can receive legal aid.

baroness mone: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to review the provision of legal aid to those who have been convicted of a criminal offence in their absence and are seeking to appeal.

lord keen of elie: The Court of Appeal can, in certain circumstances, grant permission to appeal to an individual who was convicted in their absence in the Crown Court. The Court also has the power to grant legal aid when required in the interests of justice. The Government is looking carefully at the provision of legal aid in cases where the individual has absconded.

Offenders: Legal Aid Scheme

baroness mone: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many applications for legal aid have been made by fugitives in each of the last 10 years; and in each case, what was the value of the legal aid received.

lord keen of elie: This information is not held centrally. Identifying the number of cases where the defendant is recorded as a fugitive would be disproportionately costly.

Treasury

Mortgages

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of Brexit uncertainty on (1) specialist mortgage lenders, and (2) mortgage prices for homeowners.

lord bates: As the Prime Minister has made clear, the best way forward is for the UK to leave the EU in an orderly way with a good deal and the Government is working to deliver legal certainty on the UK’s future relationship with the EU. As part of the process to ensure our orderly exit, we continue to monitor the effects of Brexit uncertainty on financial markets, including the mortgage market.

Child Benefit

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, what assessment they have made of the Observation by the Institute for Fiscal Studies entitled Stealthy changes mean that soon one in five families with children will be losing some Child Benefit, published on 7 January, which states that around 370,000 more families will lose some child benefit in 2019–20 than in 2013–14 because of the freezing of the £50,000 income threshold; what is their estimate of the number of non-higher rate taxpayers who will be affected by that policy as a result; and what saving this will make to the public purse.

lord bates: The government considered the impacts of the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC) on individuals and households at Budget 2012 when the policy was announced. These were published in a Tax Information and Impact Note at the time.The adjusted net income threshold above which an individual becomes liable for the HICBC is £50,000. The government believes this is currently the correct level for the threshold, but as with all elements of tax policy this remains under review.

EU Staff: Pensions

lord stoddart of swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the share of pension liabilities to which they have agreed as part of the UK's departure from the EU is based on (1) the full budget share of those liabilities, or (2) the number of British staff employed by the EU up to and until exit day.

lord bates: As set out in the Withdrawal Agreement, as part of the Financial Settlement, the United Kingdom shall be liable to the Union for its share of the financing of the Union's liabilities incurred until 31 December 2020, including pensions. The UK’s share, as set out under Article 139, shall be a percentage calculated as the ratio between the EU Budget contributions made available by the United Kingdom in the years 2014 to 2020 and those EU Budget contributions made available during that period by all Member States and the United Kingdom. The Office for Budget Responsibility in October 2018, estimated the UK’s share of the EU’s pension liabilities as set out in the Withdrawal Agreement, at €9.75 billion.

Debts: Financial Markets

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact that a disorderly Brexit could have on the UK’s debt markets.

lord bates: The government is seeking a smooth and orderly Brexit, with a deal, that protects our union, gives us control of our borders, laws and money, and means that we have an independent trade policy. As part of its financial stability objective, the Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee has undertaken analysis of the impact a disorderly Brexit would have on the financial system. The November 2018 Financial Stability Report and related stress tests show that under such a scenario, major UK banks would continue to meet credit demand from the real economy.

Economic Growth

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of investor forecasts which suggest that there may be a slowdown in global economic growth and a fall in corporate profits over the next year.

lord bates: HM Government continuously monitors the global economy, and the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) produces the Government’s official economic forecasts. In October 2018 the OBR’s forecast for world economic growth in 2019 was 3.7%. The OBR will revisit this forecast this spring.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Local Government: Investment

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they monitor (1) investments made in commercial real estate by local authorities financed by the Public Loans Board, (2) the location of such real estate, and (3) the consequences of local authorities assuming the associated risk.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The decision making process for capital investment and borrowing decisions is a local authority decision. The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government is responsible for the overall framework for local authority capital activity which local authorities operate within. This would include investments in commercial real estate.Government does not routinely monitor specific investments that local authorities make in commercial real estate, this includes those that are financed by loans from the Public Works Loan Board. Therefore, we do not collect any information on the location of any real estate investments made by local authorities.The Statutory Guidance on Investments was recently updated by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government and took effect from 1st April 2018. It was updated to ensure that the framework that local authorities operate within reflects the activities of the sector. One of the key aims of the recent changes to the Statutory Guidance was to enhance requirements of transparency and risk management for all investments including those in real estate.In addition local authorities must ensure that all of their activities are managed well financially. This includes the legal requirement to have regard for best value. This means that a council must make arrangements to continuously improve the way its functions are exercised and have regard to economy, efficiency and effectiveness.

First Time Buyers: Government Assistance

lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support first-time buyers on low to middle incomes who are unable to afford a deposit whilst paying rent.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Government-backed schemes including Help to Buy - Equity Loan, Help to Buy ISA and Lifetime ISA have helped over 500,000 households into home-ownership since 2010. The Autumn Budget 2018 provided an additional £7.2 billion for a new Help to Buy Equity Loan scheme to run from April 2021 to March 2023, which will exclusively help first time buyers. In addition to this the Stamp Duty relief for first time buyers introduced at the Autumn Budget 2017 will help over one million households over the next 5 years.

Planning

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progressthey have made towards developingthe new national planning practice guidance; what research they undertook or commissioned to inform that guidance; andwhether that plan includes measures to permit the development of new road schemes that offer shared space between pedestrians, motorists and other road users.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Following the publication of the National Planning Policy Framework in July 2018, the Government has committed to revising planning practice guidance in line with this. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is working closely with the Department for Transport, on guidance relating to sustainable transport and accessibility which will address shared space schemes and inclusive spaces. The publication of the Inclusive Transport Strategy in July 2018, led to a pause on the shared space schemes at design stage. The Department for Transport are currently working with the Scottish Government and Transport Scotland to undertake research on the issue of inclusive street design. The conclusions and recommendations of the research will then feed into further work to produce updated guidance on street design.

Religion: Discrimination

lord singh of wimbledon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer byLord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 14 January (HL Deb, col 7), what measures they have put in place to ensure equal consideration of all faiths in the development and implementation of policy relating to discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), as a public authority, has a duty under Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 to have due regard to the need to assess the impact of our policies on people with protected characteristics, and to consider whether it is possible to mitigate or avoid any negative impacts. This includes people with a faith or belief. For each policy, we complete an Equality Impact Assessment. To assist with completing these assessments, in addition to formal consultations, MHCLG Ministers and officials regularly meet with a range of partners, from across faiths and beliefs, to discuss policy considerations. This engagement includes our quarterly Sikh stakeholder roundtable and Lord Bourne’s England-wide Faith Tours.

Department for Work and Pensions

Housing Benefit: Private Rented Housing

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they paid in housing benefit to private sector landlords in each year from 2010 to the last year for which figures are available.

baroness buscombe: The available information is in the tables below.  Housing Benefit paid for private rented sector accommodation, split by payment destination (£millions, real terms, 2018/19 prices)Financial YearTotal Housing Benefit paid for private tenantsOf which paid to the landlordOf which paid to the claimant2010/11£9,880--2011/12£10,370--2012/13£10,220--2013/14£10,040£3,100£6,9402014/15£9,730£3,020£6,7102015/16£9,310£2,870£6,4502016/17£8,600£2,630£5,9702017/18£7,850£2,400£5,450  Source: DWP Stat-x-plore and Benefit Expenditure tables Notes:Payment destination was unknown in around 1% of cases. This expenditure was assumed to be split between landlords and their tenants in the same proportion as the rest.Payment destination statistics for financial years before 2013/2014 are not available.Figures have been rounded to the nearest £10m and may not sum to totals due to rounding.Figures cover only Housing Benefit and do not include housing support paid through Universal Credit.

Children: Poverty

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their latest estimate of the number of children living in poverty in the UK.

baroness buscombe: In 2016/17 there were 2.2 million children in absolute low income on a before housing costs basis – 300,000 lower than 2010 and a record low. National statistics on the number of children in relative and absolute low incomes, before and after housing costs, are published annually in the “Households Below Average Income” publication.

Home Office

Extremism Analysis Unit

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Extremism Analysis Unit still exists within the Home Office; if so, what are its terms of reference;and to whom it reports.

baroness williams of trafford: The Extremism Analysis Unit (EAU) continues to operate within the Home Office.The EAU has a remit to analyse extremism in this country and abroad where it has a direct impact on the UK and/or UK interests. The EAU is a cross-government resource, with government departments able to commission research and analysis. The EAU does not have any executive or police powers or any operational role, it does not take operational decisions or determine policy or strategy. It provides independent analysis to policy and operational colleagues, who are responsible for such decisions.The EAU is part of the Home Office Analysis and Insight (HOAI) directorate and reports to the Director for Analysis and Insight. HOAI is part of the Home Office Crime, Policing and Fire Group (CPFG). The Home Secretary is accountable to Parliament for the work of the EAU.

Nitrous Oxide: Misuse

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking regarding the increasing use of nitrous oxide as a drug of choice by teenagers.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government remains committed to reducing drug misuse among young people, including use of psychoactive substances such as nitrous oxide.Our Drug Strategy supports programmes which have a positive impact on young people, giving them the confidence and resilience to resist drug misuse. This includes supporting schools and educators to take action to prevent substance misuse, by expanding the Alcohol and Drugs Education and Prevention Information Service, which provides practical advice and tools, and developing the 'Rise Above' digital hub. We are also making health education compulsory in all schools, which will include a focus on the risks associated with drug misuse.The Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 makes it illegal to supply nitrous oxide if the drug is likely to be consumed for psychoactive effect.

Cabinet Office

Small Businesses

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish the full responsibilities of Small Business Champion ministers; and whether they will publish a list of Small Business Champion ministers.

lord young of cookham: SME Ministers act as advocates for small businesses on commercial issues in their department. Working with their Commercial Directors, they will ensure that the agenda has a high profile across their department, review departmental plans, and scrutinise progress. The Chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster chaired a roundtable with these Ministers in Summer 2018. The current list of Small Business Champion ministers is in the table below.DepartmentMinisterRemitHOBaroness WilliamsMinister of State for Countering Extremism and Minister for EqualitiesMoDStuart AndrewMinister for Defence ProcurementDITGraeme StuartMinister for InvestmentBEISKelly TolhurstMinister for Small BusinessMHCLGRishi SunakMinister for Local GovernmentDDCMSLord AshtonParliamentary Under-Secretary of StateDfELord AgnewParliamentary Under Secretary of State for the School SystemDefraGeorge EusticeMinister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and FoodFCOSir Alan DuncanMinister of State for Europe and the Americas at the Foreign & Commonwealth OfficeDExEUKwasi KwartengParliamentary Under-Secretary of StateDFIDLord BatesParliamentary Under-Secretary of StateMOJRory StewartMinister of State for PrisonsDfTBaroness SuggParliamentary Under Secretary of State for TransportHMTRobert JenrickExchequer Secretary to the TreasuryHMRCMel StrideFinancial Secretary to the TreasuryDWPBaroness BuscombeParliamentary Under Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Lords)NIOJohn PenroseParliamentary Under Secretary of State for Northern IrelandSOLord Duncan of SpringbankParliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Northern IrelandDHSCSteven HammondMinister of State for HealthWOAlun Cairns/Nigel AdamsSecretary of State for Wales/Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)COOliver DowdenMinister for Implementation

Government Departments: Labour Turnover

lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reduce staff turnover in Government departments.

lord young of cookham: Activity to address high staff turnover, which runs the risk of losing corporate memory, includes: using career pathways and frameworks to support the development of expertise for roles and professions; pay related solutions for both the Senior Civil Service and delegated grades, including enabling departments to give capability based pay rewards at the delegated grades; and, encouraging the use of Pivotal Role Allowances.

Department for International Trade

Trade Agreements: Switzerland

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the UK's post-Brexit trade deal with Switzerland will allow UK firms to continue trading on the same basis as they do today.

baroness fairhead: The Government remains focussed on ensuring continuity, as far as possible, in our existing trading arrangements, including with Switzerland. We have committed to informing Parliament as soon as agreements are signed with partner countries. As set out in our letter to the Chairman of the International Trade Committee, we will be publishing a full report on the UK-Switzerland Trade Agreement, once the agreement is signed. This report will detail any significant differences from the original EU-Switzerland free trade agreement.

Overseas Trade: China

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of any decline of Chinese exports on future trade between the UKand China.

baroness fairhead: In year to end 2018 Q3, UK exports to China amounted to £22.4bn (a 4.9% increase from year to end 2017 Q3) while UK imports from China were £43.7bn (a 2.9% decrease from year to end 2017 Q3).In this period, we welcomed the announcements and measures China has taken to open-up its markets, including the removal of the BSE ban on British beef, raising foreign equity caps in petrol stations and improved access for British dairy.The UK is working with China to increase trade and investment flows, and further improve market access for UK goods and services, as well as to set mutual ambition for our future relationship.

Arms Trade: Israel

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they had made of the use of military goods sold to Israel by the UK; and whether they have sought any assurances that such goods are used for defence purposes only.

baroness fairhead: Military items sold to other countries by the UK require export licences. Export licence applications are rigorously assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking account of all prevailing circumstances at the time of the application. Signed end user undertakings from the intended recipient, about the intended end use, form part of our consideration but we do not rely solely on these when making our assessment. Following events in 2018 on the Israel/Gaza border the Government reviewed all extant military export licences for Israel. We have no information to indicate that UK-supplied equipment has been used in a way that is inconsistent with the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. The Government continues to monitor the situation in Israel and Gaza very closely.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Social Enterprises: Investment

lord mawson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate, if any, they have made of the number of social investment vehicles which compete to lend to the same charities and small and medium-sized enterprises.

lord mawson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the loan losses social investment intermediaries have made in the last three years.

lord mawson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Big Society Capital charging 5.5 per cent interest to social investment intermediaries.

lord mawson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is any evidence of social investment vehicles mis-selling to charities and small and medium-sized enterprises.

lord mawson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of social investment vehicles in helping deprived communities.

lord ashton of hyde: Social investment funds are independently regulated, and subject to their own respective due diligence processes, target market and risk and return objectives. Any losses are assessed and accounted for within their own governance, reporting and risk management processes. The government has made no independent assessment of the number of competing funds and the gains/losses made. Big Society Capital operates independently from government and sets what it considers to be an appropriate interest rate. Government has not been made aware of any evidence of mis selling to charities and small and medium-sized enterprises. Individual social investment vehicles measure and publish their own impact assessments based on the specific geography and nature of investments made.